A Journal of the First Year | Five

(L) 1994 (R) 2018

It is my intention to share some reflections on the highs, the lows, the excitement, the routine, the successes, the failures and everything in between which I experience the course of the next 10 – 12 months, my first months as a full-time principal of a high school. Writing this journal will help me grow. Reading it may make you laugh…

11 | October | 2018

It is one thing to know something is best practice or a good idea. Over the last few years, I have been thinking about leadership, writing about leadership and talking with others about leadership. I loved it. What I love even more is facing myself in the mirror (the metaphorical mirror) and asking if I am practicing what I preached, discussed, wrote.

On the whole, I would give myself a solid “B” here. I have done a good job, primarily, but there are areas I can improve, for sure. I am a work in progress and I know that I will, likely, never complete the work or reach the finish line and that is just fine with me. I want to live in a growth mindset.

However, one area that has surfaced these last two weeks that I knew was important in theory has borne itself out as even more important in practice and that is remaining calm.

There is much to be said for remaining calm.

I have lived – I do not write “found” because I knew this was true – that every day here is different from the last. There are few uninterrupted routines or thoughts or moments. And that is GREAT! I love that!

However, some of these interruptions, disruptions, changes in charted course are as unpredictable as they are charged with emotion. Some of them are shocking. Some are painful. Some are off-the-wall.

But, if there is a through-line among them it is this: calmly approaching them helps. Remaining calm is an asset. Remaining calm is an imperative. Remaining calm is a leadership function at which I want to get better.

I do think that is a gift I can try to give to the faculty whom I serve. Their lives are just as unpredictable mine. More so. If I project calm (even when I do not necessarily feel it), adopt calm, remain calm, that is a very good thing.